Annunciator unit



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Feb M, 1936;

M. F. KETAY ANNUNCIATOR UNIT Filed May 25, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet lv www HW MLN... .mGMb

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ANNUNCIATOR UNIT Filed May 25, 1952 2 Shree'cs--Sheefl 2 ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 18, 1936 UNITE DY Y PATEN T OFFI @E ApplicationMay 25, 1932, Serial No. 613,586

.1,Claim.

V This invention relates 'to electrical annunci- .ators, and more rparticularly to annunciator vpanels and the mounting therefor.

One of the objects of the presentinvention'is 5 4ltof-provide a novel annunciatorpanel which represents a complete signaling 4Vunit and which'is .readilyadapted to be .added to or removed from .a 'complex annunciator system, thus renderingit lf-possible to increase or decrease the number of y .signaling ,stations with utmost ease 'and facility.

Another .object is `to provide v'novel means for wiring an electric annunciator panel whereby the .same Ymay be inserted into `a complex anvvnunciator system with but one `additional connection beingrnecessary.

.The'above and further objects vand novel fea- "tures of this vinvention will more 'fully lappear from the following detailed description when .taken in connection with the "accompanying drawings. It is to be expressly understood, however, th'at the drawings are `for the vpurpose of illustration only and are not designed as a definition ofthe limits of the invention, reference primarily Abeing had for this Ipurpose to the appended claims.

In the drawings whereinlikereference char- `Vactersrefer to'like parts throughout theseveral views:

Fig. 1 is aside elevation view ofnan annunciator panel embodying the present invention;

'Fig.'2 is a rear elevation view of the same;

Fig. l3 isa front elevation view;

Figffi' is a top plan view;

Fig; 5-is a front elevation view-1 illustrating the f-35 "combination of ay number of the-panels `forming acomplex vannunciator panel; and

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of Fig. 5.

vOne embodiment ofthe present invention Vhas type annunciator drop which is also eilective to close electrical circuits whereby other local or rem'ote signals may be given. The panel, as shown, comprises a suitable supporting member or bracket 4 which is attached to a panel plate 5, and on which is mounted all apparatus necessary to make up a complete annunciator unit.

Signaling means are provided on the panel and, as shown, such means are constituted by a gravity type annunciator drop, the specic construction of which, per se, constitutes no part of the present invention. The drop is mounted on bracket 4 by means of a second bracket 6 and is adapted to be actuated by a coil 1. An armature 8 adapted whre'ina signal at 'the panel is given by a gravity 'to'bevattracted to the core of coil 'I is pivoted near| the lower end thereof as onthe bent lportions X and Y and is normally held upright by means of va spring 9, the free end of which extends into ahole 'in the lower` center portion Z of armature '8. A signal or indicating card Ill, one end of 5, vthe zone orfstation from which the signal was sent. Any suitable means (not shown) may be jprovided'for returning card VvIll to its raised position.

`If desired, suitable means-may be provided for initiating other local or remote signals and, as

illustrated, a pair of normally separated contacts `ld'are provided for completing a suitable signaling circuit which may include such devices as buzzers, lights, bells, etc. Contacts I4 are shown "suitably mounted on bracket 6 and are adapted to be closed, when card Ill drops to signaling position, by an elbow I5 securely attached to, and

.pivoted with, arm II.

iLocal automatic switching means may also be v.providedrto meet with the requirements of the external signaling circuit and such means, as

shown, are constituted by a multi-contact relay coil I6 m'ounted on bracket 4. Two pairs of contacts I'I and I8 mounted on a frame structure I9 which is attached to coil I6 are adapted to be alternately opened and closed by armature 20 as said coil isenergized and de-energized. The

, armature 20 isadapted to be rocked about the coro ner of frame I9 as a pivot by the magnetic 'attraction of coil I6 when the latter is energized, therebyopening contacts I1 and Vclosing contacts I8 against' the resilient effort of the center arms ofi said contacts which act as springs to normally hold the armature in the position shown in Fig. 1. A clip 2| which lits into .an opening in armature 20 and is fastened to frame I9 by means of a set screw is provided with lateral projections 22 which overlap said armature and pivotally hold the same in place. The number of contacts to be provided with coil I 6 will depend upon the circuit requirements of the entire annunciator system of which the panel forms a part.

Novel means are provided for electrically connecting a number of the panels comprehended by this invention into an annunciator system comprising a large number of stations, such means being so constructed as to make the usual manual connections between adjacent panels unnecessary. In the form illustrated, the novel connecting means are constituted by a p1urality of electrical conductors or bus bars 23 mounted, together with local terminals 24, between a pair of insulating plates 25 (Fig. 1) which are suitably attached to bracket 4 below the annunciator unit. The conductors 23 extend laterally from either side of bracket 4 and the projecting portions thereof are curved forwardly, thus presenting a large contacting surface for engagement with a like conductor on an adjacent panel. Preferably, bus bars 23 are resilient in character so that they will exert some pressure against each other, thereby assuring firm connections, but not a positive one, between adjacent panels as indicated in Fig. 6.

By reason of the above-described novel means for electrically connecting adjacent panels, the local wiring of each panel may be of a permanent, individual nature so that when a number of panels are assembled for forming an annunciator system, only one connecting wire need be brought to each panel. For this connection, an outlet terminal 26 is mounted at a suitable point on, and insulated from, bracket 4. 'Ihe local circuit of each panel in a given system will depend upon the requirements of the remainder of the circuit.

If desired, a local control or test switch 2l may be provided in the local circuit. As shown, this switch is mounted on bracket 4 and has an actuating handle 28 mounted on the face of panel plate 5.

Three panel units are shown adjacently mounted in Figs. 5 and 6 illustrating how the same may be used to make up a unit serving a plurality of stations. Each panel may be mounted in place on a suitable frame (not shown) by means such as screws through holes 29. Each unit, it will be noted, may be readily slipped out of place and another one quickly inserted.

A simple local wiring diagram is diagrammatically shown in Fig. l in order to illustrate one form that may be used on a panel of the type described above. The operation with the circuit shown is as follows: The plus and minus terminals of a suitable source of electrical energy (not shown) are connected to bus bars 23 (a and b). When the switch at the signaling station is closed, a circuit is closed from said source through the signaling station, terminal 26, coil 1, bus bar 23a and back to the source. Coil 'I is thereby energized, attracting armature 8 and permitting card IIl to drop to a position so that it is visible through hole I3. As card I0 drops, elbow I5 is elfective to close contacts I4, completing a circuit from source through bus bar 23a, contacts I4, coil I6, bus bar 23D and back to source. Coil I6 being thus energized attracts armature 20,

opening contacts I1, closing contacts I8 and completing a circuit from source to a suitable signal (such as a bell, buzzer or light, not shown), bus bar 23c, contacts I8, bus bar 23a and back to source. The contacts I'I, although not included in the circuit shown, may be used when a more complicated circuit is employed. Switch 21 may, among other uses, be connected in series with coil I6, thereby serving as a cut-out switch for the bell or buzzer signals.

There has thus been provided a novel annunciator panel which may be used for facilitating the expansion or reduction of large, complex annunciator systems such as power house annunciator systems, fire alarm annunciators, trouble signal annunciators, etc. Each panel may also be used as a complete signaling unit in itself. It will be noted that systems made of this type of uniform panels are also readily serviced since a spare panel may be quickly inserted for one which is out of order. Since only a single connection need be made when a change or an addition is made, it is not necessary to employ a skilled electrician for this purpose.

While there has been shown and described only one embodiment of the invention, it is to be expressly understood that the same is not limited thereto but may be embodied in various other forms. For example, any suitable signaling means'may be provided in lieu of the gravity annunciator drop illustrated. Various other changes, other than that mentioned above, may also be made in the arrangement and design illustrated without departing from the spirit of the invention as will now be apparent to those skilled in the art. Reference will primarily be had, therefore, to the appended claim for a definition of the limits of the invention.

What is claimed is:

An annunciator unit comprising a cover plate for mounting said unit cn a frame with other similar units to form an annunciator panel of a complex annunciator system, a U-shaped mounting bracket having one bar thereof secured fiat against the back of the cover plate and a bar projecting perpendicularly therefrom to the rear thereof and carrying a third bar parallel with the rst bar, a plurality of U-shaped bus bars mounted on said last named bar of said bracket extending parallel with the panel and spaced rearwardly thereof, terminals for said bus bars. said bus bars projecting from said bracket to slidably contact similar bus bars of an adjacent unit upon insertion of the unit into position with said adjacent unit, and annunciator apparatus located between said panel and said bus bars of a width approaching substantially that of the panel whereby such apparatus remains forward of said slidably contacting bus bars during the insertion of a panel.

MORRIS F. KETAY. 

